


There is no greater sorrow then to recall our times of joy in wretchedness

by your_taxidermy



Category: Outlast (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Feels, F/M, Feels, Murkoff Corporation, Sad Ending, pure angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 09:14:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18568354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/your_taxidermy/pseuds/your_taxidermy
Summary: Waylon makes the hardest choice in his life.





	There is no greater sorrow then to recall our times of joy in wretchedness

“Take the boys,” Waylon says softly. He knows it’s futile. He knows the end is near. Lisa doesn’t want this, she wants her family, she wants her husband, she wants Waylon. She wants normal, a white picket fence and Sunday dinners. 

 

Not this. “Don’t argue, Lisa. I can’t let them hurt you or the boys.” Waylon’s voice is cracking, tears are forming in his eyes. This can’t be happening. “Okay,” Lisa breaths, wiping under her eyes. The boys are sleeping soundly in their beds, counting sheep and waiting for morning breakfast with mommy and daddy. “I’m so sorry Lisa, baby, I’m so sorry.” 

 

It has to be done, there is no backing out now. Waylon knew what he did, he knew what would happen if he didn’t just… leave. He must go off the grid. For her sake, for the sake of the boys. He’d rather die than see anything happen to Lisa and his angels. “You know I love you, right, Lisa? You know that.” 

 

She knew it so very well. He did this for her, he did this because he loves her so much. “Waylon, the boys…” 

“The boys are too young to understand but I have to tell them.” 

 

He has a pain in his chest, his whole body hurts. 

 

“I love you, Waylon.” oh how she wishes she could tell him that until their death. 

 

Waylon holds her face, his hands tenderly running over her velvety eyelashes. Her eyes are red, tears streaming down her face. Waylon checks the time and it’s six forty-five. Lisa can’t hold back now, she can’t live without him, she can’t imagine life without Waylon. 

 

The family man, the kind, the sweet, the gentle father. 

The loving husband. 

The whistleblower. 

 

He gives her a faint smile. His heart is aching, a never-ending drop builds in his chest. “Don’t cry, Lisa. Please don’t. You know I hate seeing you cry.” 

 

Murkoff would be knocked down a few pegs, sure, but at what cost? 

 

Lisa hears the boys rustle in their beds. 

His eldest son, nine years old, walks into their bedroom, holding a stuffed bear Waylon got from the claw machine on the tenth try, he remembers his son trying and trying. He runs out of coins, Lisa can’t get it either. Waylon tries, of course, he gets it with time. 

 

Waylon opens his arms for his son, his precious boy. “Listen to me, buddy, I need you to be strong for me.” “W-why are you crying, dad?” his son asks. 

Lisa crouches down before him, how he grows so tall every day. 

 

“Daddy’s gotta leave,” Waylon brushes his face, his baby cheeks soft and pudgy. 

 

“Bad men want to hurt me, and they’ll hurt you and mom to hurt me. So I have to leave.” 

 

Sorrow overtakes the child’s face. “But dad,” he begins, holding the teddy bear tight. “Shh, shh, shh, don’t cry, baby. Don’t cry.” 

 

Waylon knows he is only prolonging this pain. “I love you so much my angel, I love you and that’s why I am doing this. It’ll all make sense later.” 

 

Lisa is resting her head on Waylon’s back, his white button-up worn and tattered. 

 

The child’s eyes fill with tears. 

 

But he wasn’t supposed to cry. He had to be strong, strong for his brothers, his mom, his dad. 

 

Waylon knows the truth. Just as Lisa knows. 

 

“Well, are you coming back?” 

 

Waylon feels his heart shatter like glass. “Well…. I don’t know, sweetheart. I don’t know if I’ll be back.” 

 

“Can I come with you dad?” 

 

Waylon has more tears streaming down his face, his lips are twitching.

 

“No… No, baby, you can’t. It’s not safe. And you know I always want to keep you safe.” 

 

His other two sons walk in the room, confused as ever. “Why are you crying mom?” they both ask. 

 

Waylon explains for the last time and his boys break into tears, but oh god how he wishes it was broken laughter. 

 

Broken laughter when mom and dad kiss at the dinner table, when Waylon comes home from work smelling horrible from the human air inside Mount Massive. 

 

He could not stand their tears, runny noses, and red cheeks. 

 

They all hugged and Waylon wrapped his arms around them all. He wishes he could change what happened. God knows that. 

 

“Listen,” he kisses all three of their heads, “Lisa is here, she loves you. I love you. Don’t think I’ll be gone forever. I’ll… be around.” 

 

Everything around him was crashing like waterfalls, his entire life was being torn apart by corporations, money, and greed. He slowly got up, making sure his boys didn’t stumble. 

 

Lisa held their hands and kissed Waylon’s lips for the last time before he grabbed his suitcase. 

 

He didn’t want this. 

 

“Goodbye, Waylon. We… we’ll miss you.” 

 

Waylon gave a faint smile. “I couldn’t live with myself if anyone hurt you or the boys, my crimes put you all in danger but… what was happening there had to be stopped.” 

 

“I know, Waylon.” 

 

He kissed all his boys again and held their delicate baby faces one last time. 

 

The air was still as Waylon left the house, his footsteps echoing until he entered the car and drove away. 

 

Lisa broke down on her knees and all the boys leaned into her. She held them all and the morning sun would have been so bright but the storm clouds outside blocked all the rays. 

 

“I miss dad,” one said.

 

“I miss him so much, sweetheart, I know… I k-know, baby.” 

 

Waylon leaned his head on the steering wheel and just sobbed, crying for Lisa and his boys. 

 

Life wouldn’t be the same without Waylon. Murkoff took from Miles, the patients, and now the Park family. 

 

Lisa and her boys rested on the floor for a good while before reading the text from Waylon. 

 

“I love you so much Lisa. I’m so sorry it came to this. I’m so sorry… Goodbye.” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> sorry for this. now im sad. pretty please let me know if you've enjoyed <3


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